


corvus

by wngkyns



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Awkward Tension, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Growing Up Together, M/M, hoseok is a knight and changkyun is a mage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23577499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wngkyns/pseuds/wngkyns
Summary: In the pitch black of night, Hoseok saw constellations in Changkyun’s eyes.
Relationships: Im Changkyun | I.M/Lee Hoseok | Wonho
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24
Collections: A Very Blue Moon Rabbit





	corvus

_Where crows gather, so does dark magic._

It was a common saying outside the castle walls, one Lee Hoseok had heard so often back when he still lived in a little cottage with his mother. If anything, most adages circulating within the kingdom were related to magic, and the ones that stuck out to Hoseok the most were reminders on why it was so frowned upon. For most of his childhood, Hoseok’s set of beliefs about magic was dictated by the words he heard everyday – _magic, used even in the best of intentions, only brings suffering. The world is better off without it._

Hoseok had grown accustomed to the talk of the town and to his mundane life, to attending normal school and performing normal chores, until his father had been promoted as the Head Knight of the Royal Guard. Any normal nine-year-old in their small town would dream of a grander life, and Hoseok had been surprised to learn that he and his family would be moving into the Royal Family’s castle. He had expected a new environment, of course—everything bigger and better, from gardens to rooms to food servings—but not new perspectives that challenged the norm.

But it was inevitable, as the only handful of people he could interact with in the castle were raised differently. Lee Minhyuk would be his first new friend because the boy had a generous and radiant spirit that kept Hoseok from focusing on the downside that Minhyuk was a _mage_ — not just someone who viewed magic in a positive light, but an actual magic user. Of course, what was Hoseok to expect from the son of the king’s unknown mage?

“Are you allowed to do that?”

“Do what?” Minhyuk’s eyes squinted.

“That.” Hoseok pointed at the little blue flame cradled in the young mage’s right hand, so close to touching the skin of Minhyuk’s palm. So close to _scalding_ it. Nine-year-old Hoseok flinched at the thought of his new friend hurting himself. “You should stop.”

“It’s only a charm,” the younger boy pointed out. He conjured another flame, this time a beautiful bright orange, and began juggling the tiny balls of fire like how the Royal Jester would with safer items. His smile grew, his cheeks rosy as he laughed. “Don’t be scared!”

“I’m not scared,” Hoseok defended. He remembered how his parents told him that lying was _bad_ , that he should never do it, but he wasn’t exactly lying. Sure, it wasn’t every day that he’d see someone play with fire so nonchalantly, but he was well aware it was just Minhyuk practicing his magic. And that’s where the root of his feelings were — he still wasn’t used to how no one frowned upon magic and its use inside the castle. 

“Uh huh. I know that look anywhere,” Minhyuk groaned as both flames hovered above his left hand. With one sweeping motion of his other free hand, the flames faded into wisps of smoke. “Look, mister, whatever commoners say about magic aren’t true.”

“It’s mean to call people commoners,” Hoseok answered back. Just days ago, he was just a ‘commoner’ too. 

“And it’s mean to not like magic.” With a snap, Minhyuk conjured up another flame at the tip of his pointer finger. “Do you trust me?”

Hoseok froze. He wouldn’t say yes completely even if he liked his new friend, as Minhyuk was a new presence in a fresh chapter of his life, but he could see the unyielding determination in the younger boy’s eyes. He didn’t want Minhyuk to think Hoseok didn’t trust him because he was a mage either, even though there was truth behind that sentiment.

But days had passed and Minhyuk had only shown him magic that brought more joy than pain, from how Minhyuk had made ice cubes appear in Hoseok’s drink while they chatted in the castle courtyard under the afternoon sun, and how Minhyuk had showed off a ‘new trick’ he just learned of piecing broken leaves together because Hoseok deserved to ‘see something cool’. Even at a young age, Hoseok could tell there was a stark difference with what they both knew, and maybe he deserved to see things the way Minhyuk did. 

With a shy whisper of, “Yes,” Minhyuk’s smile brightened as he asked Hoseok to close his eyes, and he had felt the distinct warmth of the flame close to his fingertips. Only when he opened his eyes did soft laughter bubble in his throat, a strange childlike joy overcoming him as he realized the tiny fire was in his hands. _He_ was carrying the flame, and every time he moved his hand, it would follow but never burn. 

“This… this is so cool,” he said softly, in between disbelieving laughs. His eyes met Minhyuk’s own, full of joy as well for being able to share the wonders of magic with someone new.

“See?” Minhyuk smiled. “Magic isn’t a curse. It depends on how it’s used, but people like saying it does more harm because they don’t try to understand that.”

Through a harmless trick, Hoseok had learned the truths behind his misconceptions: people outside the castle walls talked about magic as though they experienced threats of it every day, and spoke as though there were hidden mages among them. But for centuries, humans envied or feared those gifted with the ability to use magic and found ways to persecute them easily over the mildest of mistakes. Hoseok would learn that only one line of mages in the kingdom—only Minhyuk’s family—had endured the test of time. And while the Royal Family wished to change the perception of their subjects, it was Minhyuk’s family that had requested for their abilities to be kept private. Now only people in the castle knew the true role of Minhyuk’s father as the King’s Mage, and Hoseok became one of them who swore an oath to keep the secret.

Minhyuk continued to debunk every wrong belief Hoseok had ever since, often laughing at the silliness of people’s customs just to drive away magic. “They’re just superstitions that scared people say,” Minhyuk said. “You don’t have to wear a dumb-looking hat every Founder’s Day to ‘keep dark spirits away’. I thought people outside the castle just had terrible fashion sense, but their beliefs are what make them ugly. And by the way, dark spirits and dark magic don’t exist. Crows are totally harmless.”

Hoseok nodded, but a small part of him would feel guilty whenever he would see a crow perched on leafless trees in the castle courtyard every autumn. He wholeheartedly believed the truths endowed to him by his new best friend and his new home, but as Minhyuk had said, _they’re just superstitions scared people say._ Sometimes it was difficult to let go of every idea the past had told him were truths, especially when crows seemed to herald a strong sense of fear within Hoseok with just one look from their beady little eyes. One long stare from the bird strung a hundred worries in his mind, and surely, there was a reason why people would deem crows as an omen of dark magic even if Minhyuk had dismissed the concept of the saying. There had to be a dime of truth behind it, right?

Thankfully, crows rarely flew overhead the castle nor did they stay often if they decided to land on a nearby tree, that Hoseok had never felt unsafe within the guarded stone walls. That was, until Hoseok’s sixth year in the castle.

* * *

“Bullseye!” Hoseok turned around with a smirk, raising a brow as he slung his bow over his shoulder. With a chuckle, he glanced at the younger slimmer male across him who gawked at the shaft and fletching sticking out from the target board. “Beat that, Hyungwon.”

“Watch your words, Hoseokkie. One word and the crown prince would have your head chopped off. Maybe diced too,” called Minhyuk from underneath the tree, following suit with a loud snigger. 

“I’m not a barbarian,” the other boy yelled back as he walked to take an arrow from the quiver resting next to Minhyuk. Hoseok sighed and gave the mage a long, disapproving look. Even if he was just joking, they both knew there were limits in teasing their friend. Prince Chae Hyungwon, who Hoseok had met during his first month in the castle, preferred that his friends treated him like a normal teenager and spared him of jokes pertaining to his royal status. Of course Hoseok had the tendency to break the habit just as much as Minhyuk did, though teasing Hyungwon about his potential leadership style was a territory Hoseok would rather not tread on. 

Minhyuk, getting the message, stood up from the patch of grass he rested on and took an arrow to hand over to the prince. Hyungwon pressed his lips together into a taut smile as he tried to grab the arrow from Minhyuk’s hand, yet the mage’s grip on the arrow’s body remained tight. “Sorry, Won. I know you wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“Glad you do know,” Hyungwon hummed. “Arrow, now.”

But Minhyuk’s smile transformed into a smirk. “I want to make it up to you.”

Hyungwon raised a brow. “Okay…? You may do so by letting go of the arrow.” He tried tugging the arrow again, but Minhyuk seemed to have bound the piece of wood to his hand with magic. “Minhyuk, what are you up to?”

“Well.” With his free hand, Minhyuk snapped his fingers, and an apple from above descended gracefully into his palm. “I want you to show Hoseok you’re the better marksman.”

“Hey!” Hoseok grunted, crossing his arms. This was uncalled for — this was supposed to be his and Hyungwon’s one-on-one drill in preparation for their first intermediate-level archery practical exam. The last thing he needed was Minhyuk intervening to encourage Hyungwon. “And here I thought crows wouldn’t steal my luck today.”

“Could you watch your language, please?” Minhyuk scoffed with narrowed eyes. Hoseok bit his lip, unsure of how to explain his little slip of the tongue. 

“It’s just an expression, no harm done,” Hyungwon said, suddenly falling backwards with his arrow in hand, and Hoseok only realized the prince was still tugging the thing while Minhyuk was talking. “Unlike what you’re doing.”

“Look, I’m done with humans implying crows bring dark magic, which for the millionth time doesn’t exist, and how that expression implies magic is bad luck,” the mage sneered back, begrudgingly helping the prince back on his feet, then pointing at the target board fifty meters away. “Now go take your bow and arrow over there before I strike you with lightning.”

Hoseok sighed and walked right next to Minhyuk, watching Hyungwon roll his eyes before trudging across the field. “Min, I’m sorry I said that, but may I remind you that Hyungwon’s the prince?”

“And? I’m ordering him around as his friend,” Minhyuk hummed, placing the apple on his head and making Hoseok gawk in the process. “Maybe I should make you his target practice dummy, but you might just accuse me of being evil and go back to believing magic is bad.”

“It was a slip of the tongue, please. I don’t believe that anymore,” Hoseok pleaded, clasping his hands together so tightly that his fingers dug into his skin. “But don’t be insane, you know we’re not yet at your level. The professor still doesn’t want us to move away from target boards for now. What if you get hit?” He grabbed the apple off his friend’s head, hoping to make a point.

“If you didn’t care so much, I wouldn’t believe you, y’know?”

“I know. I’m sorry.” 

“Please don’t say that ever again, Seok,” the younger sighed back, taking the fruit as swiftly as he could from Hoseok’s hold. Before Hoseok could even try to retrieve it, he noticed Minhyuk’s hand clench around the apple.

“You can’t stop using the attachment spell, can you.”

Minhyuk grinned. “Gotta practice my magic.”

“Seriously, Minhyuk,” Hoseok groaned. “If you get hit—”

“I have magic,” the younger one reminded. “Besides, this isn’t the first time Wonnie and I practiced like this.”

He sighed. Leave it to Minhyuk to _always_ use the magic card. As much as he wanted to rebut, Hoseok knew Minhyuk wouldn’t listen to him anymore, and Hoseok didn’t want to argue with his friend knowing that he knew less of how the mage and prince spend their free hours together ever since he had begun training with the Royal Guard to become a knight. He shrugged in defeat, pouting; he still didn’t like this idea.

“Don’t be like that, Seokkie,” Minhyuk said with a gentle smile. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.” _Just like I said six years ago._ “And I trust you to duck if you know you’re going to get hit.”

“Definitely. I know I’m not as handsome as you or Hyungwonnie, but my face is too precious to be scarred, right?” 

It was Hoseok’s turn to roll his eyes as he lightly bumped Minhyuk on the shoulder. “Don’t be a dumbass.”

He walked back to his spot, fifty meters from his assigned target board and a fair few feet away from Minhyuk. The afternoon hazy blue sky dimmed from passing clouds as Hyungwon slowly nocked the arrow. Hoseok watched Minhyuk perch the apple on his head again, easily pulling his hand away from the rosy red skin of the fruit. “I already told Wonnie this before, Hoseokkie, but even though you tend to feel more pressured because of this kind of target practice, it’d make you focus way more too!”

“Obviously,” Hoseok murmured, shaking his head and smiling nervously as Hyungwon finally drew and anchored his bow. The prince had been slouching earlier throughout his exchange with Minhyuk, but Hyungwon’s stance whenever he concentrated during archery lessons held the same regality as his posture whenever he moved around in formal events. And being aware of Hyungwon’s habits prior to releasing an arrow made Hoseok know the prince’s left brow was twitching as he aimed. His long arms were steady within seconds, and Hoseok began counting with his own slowest breaths.

_One. Two. Three. Four._

Hyungwon always released the bowstring on Hoseok’s fourth slowest breath, which was now held in anxiety and anticipation as the arrow shot forward. His vision fell into slow motion, eyes trained on the arrow travelling against the wind. The sky grew darker with every passing millisecond; despite Hoseok’s awareness it was only the clouds, his gut feeling couldn’t help but worry even more.

The rush of adrenaline in his veins flung Hoseok forward as the arrow tip closed in a ruler’s length away from Minhyuk’s face, shouting his friend’s name in a panic when the arrow seemed to be streamlining towards the younger boy’s fringe-covered forehead. 

A brief stabbing sound echoed in Hoseok’s ears before he could reach for the arrow, followed by a resounding _thump!_ against the grass. He fell on his knees, placing his face in his hands as he finally took in a deep breath again.

“Holy shit.”

Peering from between his fingers, Hoseok spotted the fallen apple pierced by Hyungwon’s arrow rolling to the side and was only stopped by the arrow’s fletching. He felt a hand rest on his back, patting it gently as he adjusted back to steadied breaths.

“Kinda lopsided there, Won. You should’ve aimed a little bit to the left,” he heard Minhyuk’s voice say. The sound of footsteps ruffling the grass grew louder, and Hoseok found Hyungwon’s hand outstretched in front of him just seconds after. 

“I did aim on the mark. There’s a bit of a breeze today, for your information,” Hyungwon answered.

“And you should’ve taken that into account,” Minhyuk said, tutting. Hoseok could hear the amusement in the mage’s voice. “But it’s okay. Hoseokkie said you guys still aren’t at my level.”

“We’re only going to learn the techniques you know this year, or whenever the professor plans to teach us. Sometimes I feel like he’s babying me and Hoseok hyung is just getting dragged along. Heck, maybe one day he’d promote Hoseok hyung to mid-intermediate and just keep me where I am,” the prince said. Slowly, he turned to Hoseok with a small smile. “Sorry for making you worry.”

“I told him not to, but it can’t be helped,” Minhyuk said, wrapping an arm around Hoseok’s shoulders. “He is going to be a future knight, after all. He’s looking out for our safety.”

“And I’m glad I have someone I can trust,” Hyungwon said, flashing a soft grin at Hoseok. His heart squeezed at the compliment; it was an honor to receive these kind words from the future king. The kind smile slowly shifted, however, into a taunting smirk as Hyungwon looked back at Minhyuk. “Wish I could say the same for the future King’s Mage.”

Minhyuk stuck his tongue out. “You’re lucky as hell you’re having me as your right-hand man. But if you don’t want my services, I could always be Prince Jooheon’s mage.”

Hoseok couldn’t help but laugh at the memory of the neighboring kingdom’s prince, who was only a few months younger than Hyungwon but had garnered his and Minhyuk’s doting from how boyishly adorable he was, dimpled cheeks and all. “If he lets you be his mage. He may be a fan of your elemental magic, but you traumatized him when you made candles float in his room in the middle of the night.”

“He was exaggerating,” Minhyuk huffed, sweeping away the idea with a wave of his hand. “But hey, even if I want to ditch your royal ass, I know you like me more than you admit it, and kind guy I am, I’ll stay with you.”

Hyungwon scoffed. “Ludicrous. I do need a mage by my side but that doesn’t equate to liking.”

“Boo, just admit you love me and my magic,” Minhyuk pouted. “And hey, since when did you start talking like an adult?” 

Hoseok snorted as Hyungwon and Minhyuk began bickering. He was already accustomed to the sight, but it never grew boring. He had arrived in the castle with Hyungwon and Minhyuk already the best of friends, but back then their exchanges were more good-natured despite the amount of pranks they would play on each other. Entering their adolescence and bearing more responsibility governed by their respective aspirations had lessened their time for their elaborate jokes, but their banters had become Hoseok’s main source of amusement after academic lectures and knight training. So many years had passed, and Hoseok was glad that some things didn’t change.

That, however, wasn’t always a positive idea Hoseok held. The perfect example was that very moment, as the voices of his friends faded into incoherent words in Hoseok’s mind the second he spotted a crow’s flapping wings just behind Hyungwon’s figure. His stomach lurched in discomfort, his thoughts turning into mental prayers for the bird to fly away. 

It wasn’t a healthy fear, Hoseok knew, but he still couldn’t help it. The old saying— _that dumb superstition_ , as Minhyuk still called it—was still ingrained in his mind. 

And as Hyungwon slowly moved from his place to quarrel with Minhyuk at a closer proximity, Hoseok’s breath hitched. There wasn’t just one crow, but _two_ , both snacking on the discarded apple with their sharp beaks piercing through the fruity flesh. Every dive their heads made to bore a hole through the apple raised hairs on Hoseok’s skin, inducing a soft whimper from his lips.

“Hey, you okay?” Hyungwon suddenly asked, snapping Hoseok’s attention away from the dark-feathered birds. The prince’s neutral expression fell into worry as their eyes met, his lips parting in concern and confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Crows,” Minhyuk answered, his gaze directed at the feasting birds. “He’s scared of them.”

“Really? You never told me this, hyung,” Hyungwon gasped. 

Hoseok smiled weakly. He didn’t really want to be afraid of the birds. “I don’t like them.”

Much to his grief, another crow loomed above them and landed next to its fellowbirds, digging in immediately into the apple. Minhyuk scratched the back of his head, biting his lip. “You guys go inside. I’ll handle the birds.”

“Wait, the bows and arrows—”

“Just go, Hyungwon,” Minhyuk repeated, sending him a sharp stare. Hoseok silently thanked Minhyuk with a nod as the prince led him inside, his slim hand wrapped around Hoseok’s shaky wrist. They walked in silence until they reached one of the ground floor’s small studies allotted to Hyungwon. 

“So… crows?” Hyungwon asked softly as he sat in one of the tuffet chairs in front of Hoseok. “You should sit, hyung.”

Hoseok only realized he was standing stiffly until Hyungwon mentioned it, sheepishly squatting until he felt the soft cushion support his weight. He didn’t face the prince as he interlaced his fingers together. “It’s not a big deal, Hyungwon. I was just surprised.”

“Minhyuk said you were afraid of them,” Hyungwon reminded. _Right_ , Hoseok was too paralyzed with his shock to even remember.

“It’s not my biggest fear,” Hoseok said. Even he knew his tone was unconvincing, but it wouldn’t hurt to explain himself. “You know how I grew up among the people, right?”

Hyungwon nodded. “I know. ‘Crows stealing luck’ isn’t exactly a phrase I commonly heard, given how stigmatizing it is.”

He laughed softly; Hoseok could see why Minhyuk had addressed Hyungwon’s manner of speaking earlier, but now wasn’t a time for him to do the same. “Yeah. So you know how most people view magic, and Minhyuk probably told you about the silly things they believe in too.”

“Where crows gather, so does dark magic,” Hyungwon said. Hoseok didn’t answer, and the prince took a deep breath. “I used to believe some of those sayings too, believe it or not.”

Hoseok smiled. “I actually don’t.” It’s impossible to think Hyungwon would, knowing how undiscriminating the Chae family’s viewpoint on mages was and how Minhyuk pestered any negative light shed on magic away.

“Remember that we members of the Royal Family are still human, and the kings before my father weren’t always understanding. There’s a reason why only Minhyuk’s family is the only surviving mage bloodline here.” A bitter smile made its way on Hyungwon’s face. “My great grandfather was the one who decided to appoint a King’s Mage not just for the sake of our kingdom’s welfare, but to atone for the sins our family had done.”

Hoseok remained speechless, unsure of what to say. This was new to him, having Hyungwon tell him bits of mage history instead of Minhyuk. Granted, this was also a part of the Royal Family’s history, but it was strange to hear the prince indulge anyone outside his family with a story depicting a grave mistake made by his ancestors. And he wasn’t sure if this was Hyungwon’s way of comforting him either.

“You know I trust Minhyuk with all my heart, right?” Hyungwon added, earning a nod of reply from the knight-to-be. Despite their jokes of trust, Hoseok knew the prince and mage cared for each other dearly. “To be honest, I don’t think any human is capable of trusting magic even if they trust mages. Minhyuk keeps saying dark magic isn’t real, but you can’t help but wonder at times if it’s true, given that we’re never capable of using magic and no mage would be in the right mind to actually use dark magic due to execution laws.”

The sharp crackle of a thunderstrike suddenly roared, drawing the young boys’ attention to the nearby window. Raindrops painted the glass slowly, cascading as blurred lines until the view outside was obscured.

The last thing Hoseok could see from the window was Minhyuk shielding the crows from the rain with water magic — _his favorite element_. It would only take common sense for him to be aware that his best friend was smiling at them.

“I can’t blame you, Hoseok hyung. There was no forecast of rain from any of the weather experts in my father’s advisory board, yet look what happened after crows came,” the prince said. Hoseok’s brows furrowed, knowing this line of thinking wasn’t how he wished to approach things. _To err is human_ , they said, and there was always a chance weather forecast experts could still make the wrong predictions. 

“I don’t want to be afraid of them,” Hoseok admitted, sighing. “And honestly, regardless of their affiliation with dark magic, I would still feel wary around them.”

Hyungwon leaned forward, his lips silent but his eyes inquisitive. 

“Birds aren’t supposed to be scary, but crows… I don’t think they’re just out here to steal luck, because the way they stare at me makes me wonder if they’re trying to steal my secrets or my soul instead.”

The prince stayed silent, and Hoseok suddenly wished he kept his thoughts to himself. What good would he be as a future knight if all it took to frighten him were a bunch of black birds?

* * *

The rain lingered for days, much to the trio’s surprise. Much to their _elation_ , specifically, as their teachers were permitted to suspend classes with them in case of weather-related anomalies. The downpour wasn’t too intense, but it was strong enough to postpone Hoseok and Hyungwon’s archery practical exam… and deny them any opportunity to practice more, given the muddy state of the prince’s practice grounds. Even Hoseok’s father decided it was best for him to take a break from knight lessons (though Hoseok had some reservations about this, because the older knights-in-training still had to train).

They holed themselves up inside Hyungwon’s favorite study found at one of the highest towers of the castle, which the prince had furnished for the days he and his friends would spend lazing around. From an old unused and cobwebbed attic, it transformed into a library of books and assorted tabletop games on tall shelves. The last time they had spent a night in the room was during the prince’s fourteenth birthday, when Minhyuk and Hoseok had convinced Hyungwon and Prince Jooheon to spend the night playing _Serpents and Stairs_ when the castle hall was finally crowded with adults who barely gave Hyungwon a glance unless he wore his crown. Sure, their fathers (minus Prince Jooheon’s, as the king was saintly to a fault) had scolded them immensely the day after, but they knew what they’ve done was worth all the trouble with all the laughter and memories they’ve made.

The only times they left the room was for meals with their respective parents (or their secret kitchen raids every past midnight), but Minhyuk joined Hoseok’s family dinners when his father left for ‘business outside the castle’. The fact Minhyuk never disclosed anything before about his father’s business piqued Hoseok’s interest, and the mage would only smirk and reply _it’s a secret_ if Hoseok or Hyungwon asked about it. 

A whole week would pass, with the rainclouds still consuming the skies, before Minhyuk gave them a hint, “It’s something magical.”

“Is it an old artifact?” Hyungwon chimed, resting his cheeks on his hands. “Or a box of gold that only magic can open?”

“You make my dad sound like some super cool treasure hunter,” the mage chortled, rolling his eyes. “Just wait. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

“But hyung hasn’t even made a guess yet,” the prince joked, and the trio fell into laughter. Hoseok tried to hide the awkwardness of his own; he never really was good with guessing anything, especially to anything involving magic. 

And his assumption was correct, because Hyungwon’s guess was too off the mark. They would learn Minhyuk’s father had gathered something rare within the kingdom, something none of them had expected at all. “Rarer than any gem!” Minhyuk gushed, pulling his friends to the main foyer excitedly at the stroke of six. Hoseok could see one of Hyungwon’s butlers sigh as Minhyuk’s voice resonated throughout the hall, only dampened by the sound of the rain once the castle doors were wide open.

Hoseok gulped — what caught Hoseok’s attention wasn’t the incoming carriage from the distance or the rain pitter pattering on the stone walkway ahead, but the eerie number of crows hopping and fluttering from branch to branch and tree to tree at the open courtyard. 

Everything became a blur afterwards, moving in slow motion when the carriage stopped in front of the entrance. The carriage driver hopped off his seat and opened the vehicle door, and Minhyuk’s father quickly maneuvered off and towards the castle entrance. Minhyuk eagerly raced to his father’s arms, engulfed in a tight embrace as he greeted the soggy-haired man with, “I missed you so much, Papa!”

And before Hoseok knew it, a short black-hooded faceless figure stepped sideward from behind Minhyuk’s father as the man continued speaking with his son. Even Hyungwon’s body grew paralyzed from shock, but it was Hoseok who let out shaky breaths as the black hood slowly faced his direction.

“W-What—”

“Are-Are you seeing this?” came Hyungwon’s soft whisper.

_Where crows gather, so does dark magic._

“Hoseok hyung?”

“So, where’s the surprise, Papa?”

The black-hooded figure took one step forward.

_Run, Hoseok!_

The weight of his lower limbs grew heavier with every step backward, only counterbalanced by the fear pulsing like a current through him. A loud strike of thunder boomed when he took his tenth step, unable to register the words being exchanged right in front of him, and he spun around in hopes to sprint up the stairs without Minhyuk noticing.

His plan ultimately failed; one turn of his heel led him to bang his entire forehead against a metal shield raised up by a suit of armor on display. The impact threw him off balance, one foot crossing over the other as he stumbled backwards. A loud yelp escaped his lips, his vision blurring, until his right shoulder blade collided with the cold marble floor.

“Hoseok!”

It was the first time Hoseok had ever seen ‘stars’ from the throbbing pain in his head. The searing ache spreading from muscle to bone rendered him weak in movement as he tried forcing himself on his back. 

“Hoseok, are you okay?” was distinctly Minhyuk’s voice despite his ears perceiving his friend’s words as muffles. Hazy faces loomed above him as his line of sight narrowed into a blurry tunnel, but he could still distinguish Minhyuk’s messy dark hair and Hyungwon’s pale plump lips.

But he couldn’t recognize the last face he’d seen before his consciousness left for a fleeting hour, nor could he fully make it out at all. But he knew it was a face — there was a face underneath that black hood.

* * *

“Hoseokkie, this is Changkyun.”

And so it turned out that the figure Hoseok had assumed was the Grim Reaper was just a kid. 

Hoseok rubbed his eyes with the cloth of his shirt, trying to ignore the throbbing sensation on his head while adjusting his sitting position on his bed. On his bedside sat Minhyuk, who was twisting a damp cloth glowing a cool blue color, while the newcomer stood a foot away from the mage with a downcast stare. The kid, _Changkyun_ , was dressed in plain wool fabric clothes, similar to those Hoseok had worn in the past.

He didn’t notice he was staring silently at the boy until a sharp sting of cold met the skin of his forehead. With a hiss, he glared at Minhyuk, and the mage’s expression mirrored his own. _Say hi, you idiot,_ Minhyuk mouthed soundlessly, a _nd hold the towel, I’m not your nanny_. Hoseok could hear the words in his head play out like a snarl from his best friend as he pressed the ice-cold cloth against the tender skin above his eyes.

“Um… hello, Changkyun,” he greeted softly, and the boy’s head quickly raised. 

His irises were dark, like a deep lake reflecting a starless night sky.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

And he was young. Younger than them, Hoseok assumed by the sound of his voice. He spoke just as softly as Hoseok did, or even more so, but the silence of the room made it easy for Hoseok to pick up the higher pitch of his tone. 

“Nice to meet you too,” he replied, even if he knew deep inside that wasn’t exactly the truth. But if anything, seeing the boy stand in front of him as what he was—a human, not an entity of darkness—did comfort Hoseok to an extent.

“He’s gonna live here in the castle now,” Minhyuk said, eyes shimmering as he spoke. 

Hoseok raised a brow, briefly glancing at the now timid-faced Changkyun before looking back at the widest smile on Minhyuk’s face. “How come?”

“‘Cause guess what, Hoseok? He’s also a mage!”

“But I thought your family’s the only mage bloodline left in the kingdom,” he mumbled, wary to look in Changkyun’s way.

“That’s the thing! It’s amazing, Hoseokkie, Changkyun was born with magic even though he’s not of mage blood!” The sheer joy in Minhyuk’s voice and smile made Hoseok’s chest squeeze in guilt; he couldn’t share the same enthusiasm for something that’s admittedly remarkable even for a non-magic user, knowing that his thoughts were riddled with worry at how Changkyun’s arrival and the sudden influx of crows were too timely to be just coincidences.

But as his gaze moved back to the shy youth still staring at his own feet, Hoseok couldn’t help but think that it would be unfair to project his fear onto Changkyun just like that. The way Changkyun’s figure looked so small against the wide window behind him made Hoseok grasp that the castle was a stranger to the boy, and it was him who had a genuine reason to feel unsettled, if not frightened.

He didn't fail to notice the boy jolt slightly when the door of the room slowly creaked open, revealing Hyungwon with the box of _Serpents and Stairs_ tucked by his arm on his side. Changkyun took a step back and quickly bowed, much to Hyungwon’s surprise. 

“There’s no need for that, Ch-uhh-”

“Changkyun, it’s okay. You don’t have to bow every time he passes by,” Minhyuk quickly said, hopping off the bed and walking next to the boy with a wide grin. The little flame charms Minhyuk kept hovering in the room were thankfully at a good distance away from exposing Hyungwon’s flushed cheeks, saving him from the embarrassment of obviously forgetting the young boy’s name. 

“But he’s the prince,” Changkyun answered softly. 

“You can just call me hyung.” The lanky boy slowly closed the door, his lips curling into a welcoming smile as he sat on the spot Minhyuk previously occupied. The regality of the prince’s expression still had an air of authority despite its warmth, reminiscent of the look Hyungwon had given him six years ago when they first encountered each other. 

“He’s just Hyungwon when you’re with us, okay?” Minhyuk spoke, grinning from ear to ear, his voice so full of fondness that Hoseok had never heard from him before. 

“I’m always _just_ Hyungwon. Except in royal gatherings, I guess,” the prince laughed, facing Changkyun. “Have you ever played _Serpents and Stairs_ before?”

The young boy shook his head. 

“We could teach you while we have your room prepared, is that okay?” 

Minhyuk eagerly pulled the younger one towards Hoseok’s bed and snapped his fingers, unboxing the board game in a flash that almost threw Hyungwon off in surprise. Changkyun’s eyes widened in awe, watching pieces of the board arrange themselves as Minhyuk twirled his index finger, and it was a first that he showed an emotion outside the timidness Hoseok had gotten used to within the hour.

“Wow…” 

“You’ll be learning all this too, Changkyunnie!” Minhyuk cheered, so amused by the boy’s look of wonderment. “May I call you Changkyunnie?”

The boy sheepishly nodded, wearing a tiny smile as Minhyuk gently ruffled his hair.

_Isn’t this cool, Hoseokkie? May I call you Hoseokkie?_

Hoseok couldn’t help but smile. 

* * *

Changkyun’s presence in the castle was a catalyst for mixed feelings among the human residents, and Hoseok couldn’t help but feel sorry for the young boy. Because even though the presence of mages was commonplace to everyone in the castle, there was a blatant contrast between how they looked at Minhyuk and at Changkyun. It was too easy for Hoseok to tell, with the way helpers would steer clear from the halls hearing Minhyuk animatedly talking to Changkyun, or how no one would make eye contact with him if he passed their way. 

He couldn’t blame them, though, especially when Hoseok had first seen Changkyun in the courtyard garden with the crows. The birds were amicable with him, flocking around him comfortably whenever he’d sit outdoors. And what’s worse was how Changkyun _smiled_ and _talked_ to them. 

Hyungwon, surprisingly, also kept his distance from Changkyun too after the boy’s first night in the castle. He didn’t expect it at all, given Hyungwon’s upbringing and his initial kindness to the young mage. They had enjoyed teaching Changkyun how to play their favorite board game, but that night almost seemed like a fever dream (or, in Hoseok’s case, a head trauma-induced hallucination) with the way Hyungwon would only give Changkyun a curt smile and nothing more whenever they encounter each other now. 

He hadn’t corrected Changkyun to call him _hyung_ instead of _Your Highness_ again either, and Hoseok knew this was a problem. Changkyun might still be young and too quiet for his own good, but his silence didn’t mean he was blind to the shift of politeness towards him. Even the sightless would see how ostracized Changkyun was whenever he walked the halls without Minhyuk or the King’s Mage.

Hoseok wanted to speak up, but he wasn’t proud that he was still one of those with mixed feelings too. 

He didn’t know how to approach Minhyuk about this either, knowing that his friend was vocal about any concern he had and yet let out no words about Changkyun’s situation. Part of him believed Minhyuk might be too blinded with enthusiasm over meeting another mage that he failed to notice what was happening, or maybe he was just as aware but instructed by his father to keep quiet and just entertain Changkyun as much as he could. Either situation wasn’t pleasing, and Hoseok wished he had the guts to speak about it or the words to use. But even if he did have the courage, he had to be extra careful knowing Minhyuk would easily find offense if Hoseok misworded a statement about the young mage, whether intentional or not. 

Hoseok didn’t even understand _why_ he cared this much, considering how the boy had almost given him a heart attack the moment Changkyun stepped into his view, or how the boy would only truly smile when he was around the seven crows (yes, Hoseok counted them) that never left since that fateful rainy day. Changkyun would always sit outside in the courtyard every afternoon while Hoseok, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon attend their History and Language lessons, and Hoseok would end up observing the boy’s movements when his mind couldn’t grasp any more academic drawl. Sometimes Changkyun would be accompanied by Minhyuk’s father, being privately lectured about magic and how to use it; most of the time, Changkyun would be alone, writing in a tiny journal while the crows kept him company. 

After a week, Hoseok began wondering why the King’s Mage would leave Changkyun alone that often, but an unexpected encounter took him off guard one morning as he strolled from the archery range. He heard his father suddenly, his voice harshly raised. Curiosity bested him as he knelt next to the room and leaned against the wall. The next voice he’d hear was of Minhyuk’s father, and Hoseok felt his insides twist in anxiety.

“The King does not appreciate the increased number of crows in the castle grounds.”

“And I suppose he does not appreciate the new mage I found?” scoffed the King’s Mage. “Changkyun hasn’t mastered any form of magic. He’s not dangerous.”

“We’re talking about the crows here,” Hoseok’s father said. 

“The King’s subtlety is terrible. It’s clear as day he’s associating them with my new apprentice _and_ associating crows with dark magic yet again.” A sigh. “I’m disappointed he’d have the message passed on instead of addressing his concerns with me directly.”

“Because you’d just defend the boy,” his father reasoned.

“For a good reason, being that he is _just a boy_ ,” Minhyuk’s father spat back. “A defenseless child who could be persecuted just because of silly human beliefs that wiped out most of my kind. He doesn’t know how to use his magic yet, and it would be unfair to attribute dark magic with him because of that _and_ because dark magic does not exist in the first place.”

“What about the shadows he created, then?”

“That’s shadow magic, my friend. And they never did any harm.”

“An uproar in the streets is harm enough.”

Hoseok could hear footsteps inside the room as he waited for Minhyuk’s father to speak again. Minhyuk hadn’t mentioned anything like this of the sort to him, and he wondered if his best friend was aware of this at all. 

“An uproar out of fear, which is hardly Changkyun’s fault. Why do humans enjoy focusing on inflicting themselves terror when problems such as an impending war matter more?”

“We… we don’t know if that’ll happen. Pray it won’t,” trembled his father’s voice. 

“Of course I pray for our kingdom, but my point still stands. Tell His Royal Highness he should focus on fearing a possible reality than one that will never materialize. It's also an insult to me, who will be training the boy.”

“Are you sure he’s harmless?” his father asked. There were no traces of anger or harshness in his voice anymore, only concern.

“Of course. Humans are more capable of despicable things than mages. My son and I, as well as Changkyun, are proof.”

“Right. The incident with Changkyun. I’m sorry I forgot.”

Silence. Then whispers. Hoseok barely made sense of them before the sound of footsteps echoed louder, closer. He quickly scuffled behind a nearby decorative stand of armor as quietly as he could before Minhyuk's father could spot him. He waited until his own father left the floor too before emerging from his hiding spot, still processing his new knowledge.

The king was wary of Changkyun’s presence. Hyungwon’s actions made sense. And what was this about an impending war? Why hadn’t his father told him anything? Was this why he wasn’t called back to knight lessons?

And what exactly happened with Changkyun?

He trudged down the hallway with a bag of mixed feelings weighing on his shoulders, confusion and fear heaviest among all. The words imparted by Minhyuk’s father all stung the more Hoseok remembered, especially, _“Humans are more capable of despicable things than mages.”_

After everything he heard, and the small inkling of knowledge about why mages were so rare within their kingdom, Hoseok wondered if Minhyuk had ever felt doubtful of him for being human.

Before he took a turn, Hoseok spotted Changkyun outside the window. It wasn’t surprising he’d be with the crows again.

“It must be lonely,” he whispered, “to only have crows as your only friends.”

And for the first time, fear wasn’t the first emotion to manifest at the sight of Changkyun and the black birds, realizing the creatures he associated with malevolence were more caring and thoughtful than humans towards a child.

**Author's Note:**

> many reasons why i posted this. first one is to celebrate wonho's fresh start as a soloist and producer <3 praise be after the hellish months he and mx had to endure  
> brainstormed this with ao3 user bluemoonrabbit a year ago, revisited the doc and thought 'tis be a shame if i don't share this fic idea'  
> and i blame ao3 user OverTheMoonShine for enabling me to post (jk i thank ye very much)
> 
> alsooooooo... i'm still at conflict on the hyungwon pairing bc i have to choose from  
> a. mage minhyuk  
> b. prince jooheon  
> c. future knight hyunwoo  
> d. nobleman kihyun  
> not easy to choose lol
> 
> thanks for reading! remember to wash your hands with soap and water properly (20 seconds) and practice physical distancing, watch your health, talk to your friends and family when you need, and read up on covid-19 from the proper sources. stay safe ppl!


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